Products such as absorbent articles are often used to collect and retain human body exudates containing, for example, urine, menses and/or blood. Comfort, absorbency, and discretion are three main areas of concern for the wearer of the product. In particular, a wearer is often interested in knowing that such products will absorb significant volumes of body exudates with minimal leakage in order to protect their undergarments, outer garments, or bedsheets from staining, and that such products will help them avoid the subsequent embarrassment brought on by such staining.
Currently, a wide variety of products for absorption of body exudates are available in the form of feminine pads, sanitary napkins, panty shields, pantiliners, and incontinence devices. These products generally have an absorbent core positioned between a wearer-facing liquid permeable topsheet layer and a garment-facing liquid impermeable backsheet layer. The edges of the topsheet and the backsheet layers are often bonded together at their periphery to form a seal to contain the absorbent core and body exudates received into the product through the topsheet layer. In use, such products are typically positioned in the crotch portion of an undergarment for absorption of the body exudates and a garment attachment adhesive on the backsheet layer can be used to attach the product to the inner crotch portion of the undergarment. Some of these products can also include wings for wrapping about the wearer's undergarment to further secure the product to the undergarment and to protect the undergarment from staining. Such wings (also known as flaps or tabs) are frequently made from lateral extensions of the topsheet and/or backsheet layers.
Such products, however, can have drawbacks which can detract from the comfort, absorbency and discretion sought by the wearer of the product. For example, a common problem with such products is their tendency to bunch, twist, and/or distort during usage. This is a common complaint among wearers resulting in overall dissatisfaction with the product despite its absorbent capabilities. An additional drawback is that the peripheral seal between the topsheet layer and the backsheet layer can irritate the skin of the wearer which can be exacerbated by any additional distortion, bunching, and/or twisting of the product.
There remains a need for an improved product, such as an absorbent article, that can have minimal distortion, bunching and/or twisting in the undergarment of the wearer. There remains a need for an improved product, such as an absorbent article, that can cause minimal irritation to the wearer's skin during usage of the absorbent article.